Planoaraph co



A. WEIDKNECHT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. a. my.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRARH co.,' WASHINGTON. n. c.

Patented J My 15, 1919.

A. WEIDKNECHT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1917.

5v H/S NTTORA/ THE COLUMIHA l'LANnukAvu cm. WASHINGTON, n. c,

A. WEIDKNECHT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-$1917.,

m mm W PW Wfl AMM m ..m.1 m 3 I m 4 1 m m m 3 F UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mvrnnnn WEIDKNE'CHT, or PARIS, FRANCE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, AMr'iDnn WEID- KNECI-IT, a citizen of the Republic of France,

ternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relatesto improvements in motors for motor-driven vehicles, more particularly motorcycles and tricycles, and is es pecially adapted for vehicles of this class in which the motor is mountedin the vehicle wheel and revolves about a common axis with the wheel. p

The object of my invention is to provide a motor of this type in which the burned gases resulting from the explosion of hydrocarbon vapors in one part of the engine is further used in another part of the engine for the propulsion of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a motor of this type which may be mounted in the wheel of the vehicle in such a manner that it will revolve with the wheel about a common axis to propelthe vehicle, but which may be so fitted to the wheel, that when it is desired to propel the vehicle manually the wheel may be revolved without operating the motor, so that in the event that the motor should at any time become inoperable the vehicle may be pedaled with comparative case. A further advantage resulting in the use of myinvention is that the wheel may be held stationary without stop ping the motor.

According to my invention a number of primary compression cylinders are provided with explosion chambers, in which hydrocarbon vapor is burned, and are radially arranged alternately with a number of secondary expansion cylinders, in which the products of combustion from the explosion chambers are expanded, about a crank shaft, the compressor cylinders being connected with the expansion cylinders by compression chambers which conduct the products of combustion from the explosion chambers to the expansion cylinders, and which also serve as reservoirs for theproducts of combustion, so that the products of combustion are delivered to the expansion cylinders more uniformly, much the same as steam is delivered from a boiler to a steam expansion Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 15, 1919. Application filed October 3, 1917. Serial No. 194,586. 7

of the engine remain relatively immovable.-

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the entire motor mounted to the rear wheel of a bicycle; Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of the motor mounted in the wheel, the various elements being in the position of the two v cycles of the explosion cylinders; Fig. 3 is a vertical section representing two cycles of the expansion cylinders; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the magneto and ignition apparatus; Fig. 5 shows in front elevation the ignition ring; Figs. 6 and 7 show in front elevation and in plan, respectively, the carbureter and its method of attachment to the fork of a bicycle; Fig. 8 shows in side elevation the clutch mechanism of the crank shaft.

In the drawings a, a a at are the compressor cylinders arranged alternately with the expansion cylinders b, 72 b 6 The cylinders are connected to and supported by two circular checks or plates 0, c on the periphery of which are spokes ol supporting the rim of the wheel cl. This wheel is preferably the rear wheel of the vehicle. The cheeks c, 0 are also provided with cups 0 and 0 respectively, in which are mounted, respectively, ball bearings e, e, for the crank shaft f, thus providing a means for the free rotation of the wheel about the crank shaft. On the wall of the cup 0 there is formed a threaded shoulder c to which is secured a pinion g which is adapted to rotate with the wheel and the cheek 0. The geared portion 9 of the pinion is formed separately'from the body of the pinion and may be moved laterally thereon by means of a suitable yoke (not shown) in the grooves g in the body of the pinion. Thus by sliding the geared portion 9' laterally on the pinion 9 it may be made to engage or disengage the gear wheel h on the magneto 2 mounted on the frame of the bicycle Z. In practice 'a control for effecting the movement of the geared portion g could be provided on the handle bar of the vehicle. The magneto is connected to a brush j carried by an arm is, also carried by the frame Z of the bicycle.

Fixed to the cheek 0 is a ring ofnon-conducting material provided with a suitable number of metal contacts m, m m m", corresponding in number to the compressor cylinders a, a a a and positioned opposite them, respectively. These contacts are connected to spark plugs n on the explosion chamber '0 on the compressor cylinders which they are opposite by suitable conductors. Against these contacts the brush j, connected with the magneto. is adapted to successively bear to complete a circuit throughthe spark plugs a, back to the mag neto to produce a spark in the plugs, it be- .ing understood that the pistons in the cylinders are so timed that they are in proper position when the circuit isclosed.

The outer face of the check 0 carries at its center a sleeve 0 communicating with a passage 0 constructed within the check. The passage 0 is connected by a tube 0 to the valve chamber 0 of the comp ressor cylinders, there being provided a passage 0 and a tube 0 for connnunication with each compressor cylinder in the engine. carbureter 29, supported on the frame Z of the bicycle, by a bridge 1) (see Figs. 6 and 7 delivers carbureted air into the sleeve 0 through the nozzles 8. portion of the carburetor 9 comes opposite the end of the sleeve 0 there is an annular space 29 which serves as an air inlet. A threaded union Q on the end of the sleeve 0 supports a metallic fabric or screen r intended to prevent the entrance of dust into the sleeve. By this arrangement will be obvious that carbureted ai-r entering the sleeve 0 from the nozzle 8 will be drawn through the passage 0 and tube 0 to the valve chambers of the compressor cylinders. The compressor cylinders a, a a (0*, comprise the cylinder casing formed with heat radiating surfaces thereon and the offset valve chamber 0 provided with an inlet valve 6 and a passage a connecting the valve chamber with the interior of the cylinder. Each compressor cylinder is also formed with an explosion chamber 9) which communicates with the interior of the cylinder proper or piston chamber by a valve to. This explosion chamber is provided with a spark plug a suitably connected with a magneto or other source of current as hereinbefore described, and with a valve :0 which permits the escape of gases if the pressure in the explosion chamber becomes greater than the Where the lower the compression chamber or reservoir 1,

which'connects each explosion cylinder with an expansion cylinder.

The expansion cylinders b, 5 b 5*, comprise the cylinder casing having heat radiat ing surfaces thereon and having an ofisct valve chamber 0 connected with the reservoir I, communicating with an explosion chamber. This valve casing is provided with an inlet valve 3 and communicates with the interior of the cylinder through passage 2. In the end of the cylinder is formed an exhaust chamber 10 communicating with the interior ofthe cylinder by a valve 40. The exhaust chamber also communicates with the Valve casing 0 in which is formed a suitable exhaust 10 by means of the passage 10*.

In the drawings, which are more or less diagrammatical, I have not shown the valve operating mechanism, as this may be of any preferred construction known in this class of machines.

The wheel and engine'is mounted in the ball bearings 9 and 9 in the arms of the fork Z and Z, respectively, of the vehicle frame, the projecting crank shaft 7 serving as an axle in the bearing 9, and the sleeve 0 serving asthe' axle in bearing 9. The projecting endof the crank shaft f is provided with a disk 4 rigidly connected thereto and having a notch 4' into which may be projected the lug 5 of the lever 6 pivoted on the rear fork of the bicycle, and'is normally held engaged with the lug by' the spring 7 (see Fig. 8). The lever 6 may be connected with a suitable control on the handle bar of the bicycle to permit the operator torender the crank shaft immovable relatively to the wheel whereby it forms a stationary crank shaft about which the cylinders revolve to drive the wheel, or it may be released to rotate with the wheel and cylinders. It will be seen that if the crank shaft is released to retate with the wheel the relation of the pistons in the cylinders to the cylinders will not change, and the wheel may be easily rotated in the bearings 9 and 9, but if the crank shaft f is held from rotating by the disk 4 and lug 5, there is provided a stationary crank against which the pistons react to rotate the cylinders, and thus the wheel may be made to rotate in the bearings e c" and 9, the shaft f remaining stationary in the bearing 9. It Will also be obvious thatwhen the crank shaft f is released, the motor may be driven to rotate the crank shaft instead of the wheel, so that the vehicle may be stopped without stopping the engine.

A toothed pinion8 is so mounted on the sleeve 0 that it may be held stationary when the sleeve 0 rotates, but which may be driven by a-chain and sprocket on the vehicle to rotate the wheel manually by means of the usual pedal construction, when the engine is inoperable. The construction of thepinion 8 is of any simple coaster brake construction-and is only diagrammatically illustrated in-the drawings.

vVhen the motor is operated the Valve 25 is opened by a suitable valve operating mechanism (not shown). When the piston starts to descend in the cylinder it sucks carbureted air from the sleeve 0 through passage 0, tube 0, valve chamber 0, and passage a, into the cylinder. When it forms its upstroke the carbureted air is compressed and forced into the explosion chamber 1) upon the opening of the valve to. When the piston has completed its upstroke, the valve w closes, the brush j bears against one of the metal contacts m, m m m closing a circuit to make a spark in the spark plug a, thereby exploding the compressed carbureted air. As the wheel further rotates and the piston descends, immediately drawing in another charge of 'carbureted air, the valve 5 opens, permitting the escape of the exploded gases from the explosion chamber '0 into the reservoir I. At the same time gases are admitted to the reservoir from the explosion chamber the valve 3 to the expansion cylinder opens to permit the compressed products of combustion to pass into the expansion cylinders through the passage 2. These compressed gases expand to exert a pressure on the pistons and cylinders to rotate the latter if the crank shaft is held stationary. After the piston in the expansion cylinder has completed its effective stroke, the valve w opens and permits the piston to force the spent gases from the cylinder into the exhaust chamber and out the ex haust port 0.0 at the same time the inlet valve 3 is closed to cut off communication with the reservoir I of the motor cylinders. Owing to the fact that preferably a plurality of cylinders are employed, a similar operation takingplace in every set of compressor and expansion cylinders with each rotation of the wheel, power and smoothness of operation is obtained. Furthermore by the provision of a separate explosion cham her in the top of each explosion cylinder an explosion is made possible with every reciprocation of the piston or rotation of the wheel in every cylinder, thereby avoiding a stroke of the piston in which no firing occurs.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular construction shown and described, but contemplates obvious changes which would suggest themselves to any one skilled in the art. For instance, I might find it advantageous to provide the engine with but a single reservoir I communicating with all the cylinders instead of with individual reservoirs for each pair of explosion and expansion cylinders.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a part to be driven, of a motor for driving the same, including relatively rotatable members, means for operating the part to be driven independently of its operation by the motor, and means for permitting the simultaneous rotation of the motor members when the part to be driven is operated independently of its operation by the motor.

2. A motor vehicle wheel comprising an engine consisting of a plurality of radially disposed cylinders, a crank shaft about which the cylinders rotate, a wheel journaled to said crank shaft, a clutch member on the crank shaft permitting the rotation of the crank with the wheel and engine or to hold it stationary relative to said wheel and engine,

and means connected directly to the wheel for rotating the same independently of the engine.

3. A motor vehicle wheel comprising an equal number of radially arranged compressor cylinders and expansion cylinder, a crank casing supporting said cylinders and forming the hub of the wheel, a wheel mounted on the crank casing, a crank in said casing which may be held stationary rela tively to the wheel and engine or may be released to rotate therewith, a pinion mounted on said casing for driving a magneto mounted on the frame of the vehicle, and means for disengaging the pinion from the magneto.

4. A motor vehicle wheel comprising an equal number of radially arranged compressor and expansion. cylinders, a crank casing supporting said cylinders and forming a hub for the wheel, a wheel mounted on said casing, a crank in the casing forming a common axle for the motor and wheel, magneto driving mechanism on said casing, and an ignition ring mounted in said casing for contacting with a stationary brush on the vehicle frame for successively completing a spark circuit with the explosion cylinders.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a part to be driven, of a motor for driving the same, including relatively rotatable members, means for operating the part to be driven independently of its operating by the motor, and a clutch for holding one of the motor members to permit the relative rotation of said members when the part to be driven is operated by the motor and for permitting the simultaneous rotation of said members when the part to be driven is operated independently of its operation by the motor.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a part to be driven,

of a motor for driving the same, including a crank shaft, a rotatable cylinder member operating about the crank shaft, a reciprocatory piston member operating in the cylinder member and having a pitman connection with the crank shaft, means for either holding the crank shaft against rotation or permitting its rotation With the cylinder member, and means for operating the part to be driven independently of its operation by the motor.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination With a crank shaft, of a motor and a Wheel driven by the motor, both rotatable about the crank shaft, the said motor having a connection With said crank shaft, a clutch for securing the crankshaft against rotation or permitting its rotation with the Wheel and motor, and means connected to the Wheel for-driving the same independently of its operation by the motor and with the crank shaft free to rotate.

8, A motor vehicle Wheel, comprising a rotary engine, a Wheel journaled on a common axle serving as the crank shaft for the motor and carrying a clutch member Whereby the axle may be engaged to rotate With the Wheel to permit the rotation of the Wheel and the engine Without operating the engine or to fix said axle relatively to the Wheel and engine whereby the engine is connected to drive the Wheel, and means connected to the Wheel for driving the same independently of the engine when the shaft is free to rotate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

AMEDEE WEIDKNEOHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

